I'm a proper off-roader so don't fear - I'm not one of those posers you see driving around Chelsea in a Land Rover (Range Rover Sport) sprayed with fake mud (yes they actually make fake mud that you can spray on to your car). So I live in the country and I like taking my car on some serious terrain, and that's why I bought an Isuzu Trooper.
Mine is the Isuzu Trooper 3.0 DT Duty, this looks to me like the best model by miles, and it's diesel, so I can only speak for this one. The Trooper will run in rear-wheel drive or can go 4x4 at the touch of a button. It also has low-ratio gears (the same principle as with a mountain bike), so these two factors distinguish it from most other offroad cars.
The Isuzu Trooper is also more efficient than a Land Rover or most other cars of that ilk, but it needs a lot of servicing so this increases the running costs somewhat. It's a really reliable car, though. One major problem is how it fares on tarmac! Don't take it off-off-road!
I have to say that when my husband bought this about ten years ago I was not that convinced. It seemed like a boy's toy or something, just kind of too big and muscly. But I have definitely come to love it over the years. The big problem, for at least a year or so, was that it was such a big vehicle I really struggled to feel the dimensions of it. I did get used to it though, and you often find that people give you a bit of room in such a machine!! I have also come to like the fact that you are so high up, it gives you a great view over all the traffic. My son's frends love it too.
It tows our caravan with such little bother, we love that. We once had a really steep hill in the south of France, like vertical! The Trooper just didn't mind at all, it was such an angel about it. Just sailed up that hill. It's also great in sludgy conditions.
The best thing as far as I am concerned is the reliability. We bought it with about 30 thousand miles and now it has almost 200 thousand miles (seriously) and it is still a very happy car. We got an alternator changed last year, and we've had bits of exhaust and brakes done now and then, but otherwise nothing much apart from tyres and things.
Comfort wise it is all right. I suppose they don't want it to be too comfy otherwise the big boys will feel all girly, but it is quite nice. My parents aren't massively comfy in it but they're ok for medium journeys. I recall being in a Land Rover once though, and the Trooper is certainly much more comfy than that. My parents had quite a bit of trouble getting into it as it's only a 3 door, and they may well not be able to manage that for much longer. That is probably the case with any 3 door though.
I think the reason we will sell this car is probably the petrol use. With the prices now it is getting too much. You also feel a little bit bad having such a gas guzzler now that people are so eco mad. Also when it's towing our caravan the prices get kinda crazy. Probably on reflection we could have done better getting a diesel version, as we don't really need the extra acceleration of a petrol engine, and we would prefer the greater economy most certainly.